Woody Allen

(1935 - )

Woody Allen is a Jewish American screenwriter, actor, director, author and musician.

Born Allen Stewart Konigsberg on December
1, 1935, in New
York City, Allen grew up in Flatbush, Brooklyn, where
he attended Hebrew school for eight years, and then went to Public School
99 and to Midwood High School. At the age of sixteen, he began writing
for stars like Sid
Caesar and began calling himself Woody Allen. Following
high school, Allen went to New York University, but he soon dropped
out as a result of poor grades.

At nineteen, Allen began writing scripts for The
Ed Sullivan Show, The Tonight Show, and Caesar’s
Hour. In 1960, Allen decided to become a stand-up comedian. At the
same time, he also began writing for the television show, Candid
Camera. He soon became an extremely popular comedian and appeared
frequently on television and in nightclubs.

Allen is a celebrated movie writer and director, considered
a pioneer in filmmaking. Allen draws much of his inspiration for the
films from New York City, European cinema and psychology. In 1965, Allen’s
first movie production was What’s New, Pussycat?, for which
he wrote the screenplay. However, his first directorial debut film was What’s Up, Tiger Lily? (1966). In this film, Allen took
an existing Japanese spy movie and redubbed it in English with completely
new and comical dialogue. In 1969, Allen directed his first standard
film, Take the Money and Run. Before returning to the director's
chair, Allen wrote two hit Broadway plays, Don't Drink the Water and Play It Again Sam.

Starting in 1977 with Allen’s hit, Annie Hall,
he produced a string of successful movies during a 10-year period including, The Purple Rose of Cairo and Hannah and Her Sisters (winner
of three Academy Awards). Annie Hall marked a turning point in
Allen’s career to a more sophisticated humor and drama, setting
the standard for modern romantic comedy. Since the 1970s, Allen's films
have also become increasingly personal.

During the 1980s, his films became much more serious
with heavy philosophical connotations. By the 1990s, he began to direct
films in which he combined suspense with dark comedy, such as Manhattan
Murder Mystery. However, by the late 1990s Allen seemed to have
returned to lighter movies, such as Mighty Aphrodite, for which
Mira Sorvino won an Academy Award. After several box office flops during
the early twenty-first century, Match Point (2005) was one of
Allen’s most successful films ever.

Allen has become notorious in Hollywood for starring
in his own movies, often as the main character. Allen has also starred
in many films, in which he did not direct; a few of which include: Casino Royale (1967), Play It Again, Sam (1972), and The
Front (1976).

In January 2014, Allen was awarded the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement at the Golden Globes.

Filmography:

What's Up, Tiger Lily? (1966)

Take the Money and Run (1969)

Men of Crisis: The Harvey Wallinger Story (1971)

Bananas (1971)

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex (But Were Afraid
to Ask) (1972)